Venom effects and medical significance are different from toxicity rankings. Do not handle a snake on the basis of this summary.
The account identifies fish eggs as the specialised food source. It does not quantify feeding in Philippine populations. Philippine occurrence is listed, with island-level detail still unresolved.
OccurrenceProvisional
Islands named0
Natural history5 sourced topics
References3
Literature updated 2026-10-07 · Editorial review pending
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
Reproduction
The species account records live-bearing reproduction, using the term ovoviviparous. A verified Philippine litter-size range and reproductive calendar are not established here.
Reproductive mode reported for this named species.
Mode alone does not establish litter or clutch size, seasonal timing, or captive husbandry requirements.
Ecology & habitat
The account records a marine habitat. Island names on the map identify reported coastal areas; they are not land occupancy or a boundary of the species’ marine range.
Species-level database summary; literature review, not expert validation.
The cited account does not establish population-wide variation or the conditions at every Philippine locality.
Taxonomic context
Emydocephalus annulatus is retained in the atlas’s dated checklist under Elapidae. The authority is KREFFT 1869. Earlier names and the original source notes are preserved below for comparison.
The source resolution does not support an island-level map. Marine records and their limitations are shown below.
Distribution record & sources
Indonesian sea (Timor), New Caledonia, Vietnam, Philippines,
Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales)
Type locality: "probably the Australian Seas."
szczerbaki: Vietnam; Type locality: Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Vietnam
Venomous · Effects not yet summarised in this atlas
Observe from a distance. Do not handle, corner or capture a snake to identify it. An incomplete venom account is not evidence that a species is safe to handle.
After a suspected snakebite, keep the person still and arrange urgent medical care. Avoid tight tourniquets, cutting, suction and unproven remedies. Do not wait to identify the snake before seeking help.
Distribution reviewed against cited source (p. 458). Philippine seas; exact locality references lacking.
Islands named
None explicitly extracted
Range noteCountry/island text is not a range polygon or locality record.
Source distribution statement
Indonesian sea (Timor), New Caledonia, Vietnam, Philippines,
Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales)
Type locality: "probably the Australian Seas."
szczerbaki: Vietnam; Type locality: Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Vietnam
Knowledge coverage
EndemismResearch pending
EcologyLiterature documented
VenomVenomous Effects not yet summarised in this atlasDetailed research: Research pending
Venomous!
Synonymy mainly after COGGER 1983. BOULENGER (1908) synonymized E. ijimae with E. annulatus.
Distribution: Does not occur in Japan (T. HIKIDA, pers. comm.). Common around Ashmore Reef (Guinea & Whiting 2005).
Type species: Emydocephalus annulatus KREFFT 1869 is the type species of the genus Emydocephalus KREFFT 1869.
Habitat: marine.
Diet: Feeds only on fish eggs.
Reference images: see Uetz et al. 2024 for high-resolution reference images for this species.
References attached to this record
2026
The Reptile Database — species checklist, 17 June 2026
Emydocephalus annulatus — The Reptile Database species account
Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. et al. (editors)
Public species fields consulted for bounded biological summaries. Primary sources quoted within the database were not independently examined unless explicitly stated. The catalogue name may differ from the current source title.